OpenGentle
Witch hazel
Hamamelis virginiana
A winter-blooming shrub whose bark and leaf make the classic cooling astringent.
Flavor
Astringent, tea-like, and woody — more a wash than a beverage.
Symptoms
irritable skin, minor wounds, bruises
In favor
Superb autumn/winter garden plant
Against
Home decoction can over-dry
Grow lab
Yes
Days to harvest
Leaf in year 2–3; a flowering shrub in 4–5 years